Issue 06-September 2014 Image by Sky Creation

LET'S HOUSE-WARMING Plan It in 5 Effortless Ways 5Effortless in It Plan CELEBRATE! PARTY: www. renonation.sg How to Work Their Magic Magic to Work Their How OF MIRRORS: into Your Home Décor Yourinto Home THE POWER POWER THE MCI: (P)132/09/2013

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5 6 CONTENTPAGE 44 CELEBRATE YOUR How to Have aStress-Free House-Warming Party NEW HOME COVER STORY 10 38» 36» 32» 28» 24 20» 19» 15» 50 » MARKET PROPERTY CONSCIOUSNESS GREEN IMPROVEMENT HOME MONTH FLAVOUR OFTHE VERSA STYLE HOME HUB GO TRENDS ON THE CHRONICLES ON-SITE to Recovery? Market onthe Road Is theProperty Combat Dengue 3 Greener Ways to Life AsArt Wall Mirror Mirror on the Humour Cisterns Installing Concealed 4 BrilliantBenefitsof Dream Home(Part 1) From Nightmare to Killing You Softly 28 TM

Issue 06-September 2014 62» 56» 52 50» 48» 44» 41 » » ESSENTIALS HOME STOCKIST GEOMANCY LUSH.WISH LIST THE BLOCK NEW KIDS ON SHOW &TELL VALUE AESTHETIC Sha QiMyths Debunking the Nature Art Bornfrom Live. Laugh.Love. Inspiration A ShiningBeacon of Quirky isThy Name You ShouldKnow in New HDBFlats 5 Common Defects 24

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7 8 EDITOR’SNOTE All rightsreserved. ©2013-14. Printed by Times Printers Pte Ltd. this publication may bereproduced, eitherinprintorontheInternet, withoutprior written permission from thepublisher. institution. Products featured are subject to availability and/or whilestocks last. Prices are subjectto change. Nopartof provided withinthispublication. You shouldalways seekprofessional advice from theappropriate advisor, professional or necessarily thoseof the publisher. We shallnotbeliablefor any actionstaken basedontheviews expressed, orinformation can beheldliablefor any errors, inaccuracies and/or omissions, howsoever. Opinionsexpressed inthemagazineare not objectivity oftheinformation contained inthispublication, neitherthepublisher, editor andtheir employees andagents All information iscorrect at timeofprinting. While every reasonable care hasbeentaken to ensure theaccuracy and your letters somuchthat we’ll feature theminthenext issue! thoughts to [email protected]. Who knows? We mightlove your homedecorating needs? We’d love to hearfrom you! Emailyour Want to recommend alittle-known shopthat you frequently visitfor DO YOU HAVE SOMETHINGTO SAY ABOUTOURMAGAZINE? Lilian Wu Lilian Editor, enjoy every moment you can. and carryon!After allyou only live once, solive inthemomentand cross outyour bucket list. Asthey like to say thesedays, keep calm milestones yet? Well, noneedto fret just yet ifyou didn'tmanageto been treating you sofar? Have you fulfilledany of your personal Whew! Just afew more monthsto theendofyear! How has2014 that gorgeous piece you saw intheshop. pages to ourexclusive feature onmirrors (p24) before splurging on mirrors canmake orbreak your home'sdécor sogoonandflipthe being just ashiny surface to reflect your beautiful/handsomeself, Not muchofaartfan? Why notconsider mirrors instead? Far from paintings that we have assembled to tickleyour artsy fancy (p28). don't forget to checkoutthemarvellous collection ofartprintsand non-fussy optionto decorate your walls andwow your guests? Then ways to have astress-free house-warming party (p10).Want a We know how nerve-racking itcanget,sowe sourced outafew party? family! Andwhat better way to dothat thanwithahouse-warming But after allthat isover, it'stimeto celebrate withyour friendsand well asbuyingallthefurniture pieces/accessories to fit your theme. the pressure ofgettingyour dream homedoneupwithinbudgetas Getting anew homeisalways ajoyous occasion. There is,ofcourse, LET USCELEBRATE GB Building,Singapore 069542 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TEAM ADVERTISING &MARKETING RenoNation ispublishedby Offsprings GroupPte Ltd Offsprings GroupPte Ltd ([email protected]) For advertising enquiries 143 Cecil Street #03-01 ([email protected]) Ek'e MANAGING DIRECTOR For editorial matters CREATIVE DESIGNER www.renonation.sg Tel: +6562253132 Issue 06-September 2014 Sophia Basuni Teo, Kenneth Tan Kenneth Tan EDITORIAL PUBLISHER Lilian Wu EDITOR

9 10 House-Warming Party COVERSTORY family andfriends!Butany party, nomatter how small,isboundto result inplentyofcleaningbefore anything elsefor therest ofthe day. To helpyou getthrough thisday, we come upwith5effortless and after theevent—leaving you andyour family physically drained andcompletely unableto do Now that your homehasbeendoneup, it'stimeto celebrate thiswonderful occasion withyour ways to celebrate your new home without thetiringroutine! By LilianWu How to Have a Stress-Free some form ofabuse. Sowhat disaster zone withdiscarded plates andcupsallover the invite peopleto your home and theaftermath canbea furniture isboundto suffer We know how it'slike; you can bedoneto reduce the place. Ifthere are children among your invitees, your stress ofhosting aparty? 1» TIPS DINNER/ FORMAL LUNCH Before you beginplanning,decidehow you want your partyto belike. Here are afew common styles: DECIDE ONTHEPARTY TYPE » » the doorto greet your guests though,sothey won't feel lost uponarrivingat your place. artwork you gotonyour honeymoon inyour master bedroom. Besure to have someonewait at during theparty. Keep itbriefandlimitto afew talking pointssuchasthat interesting piece of Not allofyour guests willarrive ontime though,sobeprepared to conduct several housetours “work inprogress”. Suchsignsare non-intrusive andmay even elicitsomegood natured laughs. where you're notcomfortable revealing to your guests andhangasmallsignsaying thingslike decorated yet orstill have boxes lyingaround, noworries. Simplyclose thedoorsto the rooms The purposefor inviting peopleover isto show off your home!If you have rooms that are notfully card that day. main activityonthe will probably bethe party. Housetours stay longat the will most likely not guests andthey mingling withyour time willbespent life. Most ofthe new phaseinyour to celebrate the your neighbours your colleagues to everyone from You invite HOUSE OPEN TOGETHER CASUAL GET- the space for it. but you canalways holdaBBQifyou have parties, finger food isthemost convenient spent catching upwiththeguests. At such out, ofcourse, butmost ofthetimewillbe friends andfamily. Housetours are carried and prefer to spendtimewiththeirclosest into thefussy detailsofplanningaparty Great for peoplewhodon'twant to go alternative. menu may bethebetter Otherwise, apot-luck and housecleaning. on thefood preparation don't overstress yourself list smallthough,soyou wise to keep theguest the option.Itwillbe a formal partymay be a sit-down dinner,then a littlemore formal like If you prefer something

11 12 TIPS people are attending! registry andeven apiechartto show how many you caneven setup optionssuchasapot-lucklist, plenty ofinvite designsto choosefrom too, and to arecipient list upto 75 peoplefor free. There are on Celebrations.com. Here, you cansende-invites Facebook, you canalways signupfor anaccount hassle for you ornotallofyour friendsare on If Microsoft Excel proves to betoo muchofa Guest List: » plus pointisthat you'll beableto relax withyour friendsinstead ofrushingallover theplace. they're beingignored by you whenyou're really tryingyour best to minglewitheveryone! Another your guests willgetamore intimate (andhopefullymore memorable) experience withoutfeeling like consider planningseveral smallpartiesto cater to different groups ofpeople. This willensure that Don't thinkyou canmanagelarge crowds ofpeopleflooding your home? Then maybe you can you choose, doremember to includeamaporyour guests could getlost ontheirway to your place! These are just 3ofthemany tools available outthere, free orotherwise. Butnomatter what option 2» CELEBRATIONS .COM can explore oneofthefollowing optionsaswell: e-tools? Asidefrom Microsoft Excel thespreadsheet programme, you of your guest list andRSVPs thanwithoneofthemany available If you're planningto holdalarge party, what better way to keep track In thisdigitalage, it'scommonplace to invite peopleviaonlinemeans. MANAGE YOUR GUEST LIST 3» FACEBOOK TIPS GOOGLE EVENTS FORMS » even getto enjoy them! expensive furniture orglassware before you and you really don'twant to ruinyour around all thetimeto keep aneye onthem, rampant all over your home. You can'tbe occupied instead ofleaving themto run along, thentake steps to keep them If your invitees are bringingtheirchildren CHILDPROOF YOUR PARTY zone withsomegamesandbooks. couple ofhoursorsetupachildren-only play amovie that willentertain themfor a keep thechildren occupied. For example, children andorganise someactivitiesto the party, where they canlookafter the member) astheofficialbabysitter at eldest childor an experienced family You caneither assign someone(like your that Celebrations.com has. but lacksthemany usefuladd-ons of gathering your friends'responses, Google Drive. It'sahassle-free way the responses from your guests on a GoogleForm andallow itto collect Another free alternative issettingup not fanciful, butitgetsthejobdone. lost ontheirway to your home. It's directions soyour guests won't be page even comes withamapand interest inattending theparty. The invite your friendsto indicate their you cansetupanevents pageand friends onthispopularsocialmedia; Great for peoplewhohave lotsof TIPS TIPS Do you have more tips for hosting a successful house-warming party? Do share with us on our our on us with share Do party? house-warming asuccessful hosting for tips more have you Do » » everyone brings(or buys) theirfavourite food to theparty. Can't cook to save your life? Then maybe you canconsider planningapot-luckpartywhere don't sweat thesmall stuff. celebrate anew phaseinyour life so remember to have fun!After all,it'sto choose to throw for your friends, do No matter what typeofpartyyou Facebook fan page! fan Facebook 5» • • • • • • • • • PREP YOUR HOMEBEFOREHAND 4» away incaseyou ordered/made too muchfood. Prepare plastic containers for your guests to take- so that you're prepared for any accidents. well-stocked withitems like painkillersandbandages You might also want to checkthat your first aid box is arrive. remember to logoutofyour computer before guests wellenough, sokeep your valuables outofsightand youSometimes might get guests that you don'tknow Make more ice to keep drinkscool onahotday. refrigerator won't leave agoodimpression! refrigerator to getextra drinks.After all,acluttered to helpyou putaway leftovers orhave to lookinyour Organise your refrigerator incaseyour friendswant toilet paperandaplungerhandytoo, just incase. other items. Don'tforget to keep sufficientrolls of by puttingaway the personal hygiene products and Clean upyour and'depersonalise'them disposable dinnerware aswell. Dedicate aspot(or two) for guests to throw their trash bags,napkinsandbeverages for your guests. Don't forget to stock uponnecessities suchas cushions andpoufs. to sitonthefloor, make itcomfy for themwith Prepare sufficient seats for your guests! Ifthey have furniture. is limited and peopleare more likely to bumpinto the partyisover. This isessential especiallyifspace excited child),sokeep suchfragile thingsaway until an untimelyendat thehandsofaclumsy guest (or You wouldn't want your beloved antiquevase to meet keep thingssimple. ups after theentire event. Inotherwords, save you from having to domajorwash- prepare thefood beforehand, itwillalso only cutdown onthestress ofhaving to pastries, chipsanddips.This willnot the partyison.Great choices include attention to keep warm/cool while food that won't gobadorrequire special white carpetingorupholstery. Gofor and red winedoesstain your immaculate possible. Accidents are likely to happen main course andkeep to white wineif bite-sized menuwhere finger food isthe complete mealfor your guests. Doupa You don'tnecessarily have to cook a LIGHT BITE-SIZED MENU&KEEPTHEDRINKS

13 14 18.10.2014 Organised by: LIMITED SEATS AVAILABLE!LIMITED Homely 10am to 1pm Time: Experience with For more information, Experience Bosch Centre pleasecontact at 63561080orRenoNation at 62253132. SATURDAY (Marymount MRT,(Marymount ExitB, building) Bosch Level 4,Singapore 573943 11 BishanStreet 21 Experience CentreBosch Venue: • • Interior Talk by Louis from ARCHéTYPE Event Highlights* *Event to may change. Highlights besubject Cooking Demo by Demo Bosch Cooking 2. Tell uswhy you would liketo attend invitation1. By only Registration: details to [email protected] this event andsenditwithyour contact In collaborationIn with: Image: Bosch Experience Centre Bosch Image:

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exclusive problems that Louis hasto dealwith: reduced to ashadow ofitsformer selfandnature was starting to take over. Let's take alookat someofthe over ayear untilMsLow met hersaviour inLouis Chiafrom Archétype PteLtd. By thistime, thehousehadbeen was enoughand fired theIDbefore any more damage could bedone. The project was thenleftuntouched for to delays that upsetMsLow's plans. The situation continued to godownhill untilMsLow decidedthat enough big residential projects andexecuting therenderings inafunctionalmanner. Problems sooncropped upandled would doagoodjob, however, becauseshehadpaidasubstantial price for aprofessional after all. to thenature of herwork, she was unableto beon-site often to checkontheprogress. MsLow trusted that theID Ms Low, that would prove to bethebeginningofanightmarishexperience. Asshehadto travel extensively due wanted to give itanew looksosheengagedaninterior designer (ID) to handletherenovation. Unbeknownst to Ms Low's semi-detachedhouselocated at SennettRoad. Shehadboughtthehouseabout2years ago, and The last thinganyone want isfor theirhometo turninto adisaster zone, butthat isexactly what happenedto The Residence: Semi-detachedhouse@SennettRoad, 3levels withbasementandroof terrace Although theIDproduced beautiful3Ddrawings that impressed MsLow, shehadlittleexperience inhandling From Nightmare to Dream Home The Interior Designer:Louis Chiafrom ARCHéTYPEPte Ltd Homeowners: MsLow andfamily Renovation Period: Ongoing Total FloorArea: 6,350 sqft PART 1 ON-SITECHRONICLES TM

15 16 10 5 1 11 that was covered Existing window up 6 2 12 3 3 7 1. 4. 3. 2. 1 2 to rot after sometime. water leakage, causingthewood completed andthisresulted in ROOF »The roof was not 1 which willobstruct entry. in front of the entrance, was plannedto beplaced directly BATHROOM »Awater closet 1 facilitate water drainage. had noplumblingsystem to completed. The fibreglass pond and aChengalplatform was not fibreglass pond,pump, pebbles, wall, whichwas to includea FRONT TERRACE »Afeature the closetto steam andmoisture. will expose MsLow's belongings in bathroom andwalk-in wardrobe open concept design of the WALK-IN WARDROBE »The ST ST ST ND STOREY, HELPER'SROOM, STOREY, HELPER'SROOM, STOREY, LIVINGROOM STOREY, MASTER BEDROOM 5. 8. 7. 6.

2 STAIRCASE plasterboard. was inadequately covered by on theother side. The opening in thewall ontheroof terrace leakage through anopening which were caused by water STAIRCASE »Cracks inthepaint, which makes itdifficult tolock. sliding doorinthefamily area, bedroom obstruct theexisting extended walls from themaster FROM MASTER BEDROOM»The OUTSIDE EXTENDED WALL 2 not given aproper finish. exposed ontheother sideandis window, butthestructure is was usedto cover upanexisting handbags. Apartitionboard to make anichefor MsLow's is extended into thefamily area WINDOW »The master bedroom 4 8 ND ND STOREY, SLIDINGDOOR STOREY, MASTER BEDROOM » Poor quality & Poor quality& 12. 11. 10. 9.

the inbuiltwardrobe. room, obstructing thedoorsof installed inthemiddleof the low gypsumboard partitionis BEDROOM »Anill-placed for acasementwindow. handle andhingesthat are meant balcony doorisinstalled withthe BEDROOM, BALCONY »The in future. panel willmake itdifficult toclean between thevanity top andglass behind thevanity; thesmallgap the placement of theglass divider BATHROOM 1»Adesignflaw in rotted, due to water seepage. doors throughout the househave teak parquet floors nearsliding THROUGHOUT THEHOUSE 2 2 steel railings to rust. roof terrace causedthestainless exposure to water leakage from the 9 ND ND STOREY, DAUGHTER'S STOREY, DAUGHTER'S » The The

17 18 The pictures are just but a fraction of the shoddy renovation the house had been subjected to and the the and to subjected been had house the renovation shoddy the of afraction but just are pictures The stuff of every homeowner's ultimate nightmare. It was enough to make anyone view IDs with great great with IDs view anyone make to enough was It nightmare. ultimate homeowner's every of stuff suspicion, but luckily Ms Low was able to find a competent ID like Louis who has years of handling handling of years has who Louis like ID acompetent find to able was Low Ms luckily but suspicion, It is a tricky project for sure, so don't forget to grab our next issue to follow how Louis turns the the turns Louis how follow to issue next our grab to forget don't so sure, for project atricky is It 13 16 15 large residential projects under his belt. belt. his under projects residential large nightmarish renovation around! 14 14. 13. 16. 15. 3 are warped. BATHROOM 2»of thewall tiles strips have warped aswell. wall wall insomeparts.The Balau have dislodgedfrom thefeature poor choice of materials, thetiles installation methodusedand WALL »Dueto thewrong ROOF TERRACE, FEATURE tiles are inthewrong colour. laid outandtheconcrete sink at thekitchen worktop ispoorly WORKTOP »The drainage outlet ROOF TERRACE, KITCHEN for side-hungdoorsinstead. cabinets; suchhingesare meant hung doorsof thewall-mounted hinges are usedfor thetop- KTV ROOM»Wrong typeof RD STOREY, PANTRY UNITIN takes upmore space than itshouldandposesaproblem installations under slopingroofs won't bea problem. systems available today. Even corner installationsor the various concealed cistern versions andinstallation always hasasolution for any kindof situation thanks to No matter how tricky your bathroom layout is,Geberit 3» HAS A SOLUTION FOR EVERY BATHROOM orpipes fixtures. toilet bathroom without having to navigate the labyrinth of system alsomeans that you caneffortlessly cleanthe that isboth ergonomic and fashionable. Its wall-hung wall andnot in front, itpresents astreamlined design Since the concealed cisternismountedbehind the 1» ERGONOMIC DESIGN SITUATION HERE'SWHY SWITCH TO SHOULDYOU A closed coupled toilet isa type of toilet where the cistern Concealed Cisterns bathrooms today are smaller insize, this typical design 4 Brilliant Benefits 4 BrilliantBenefits Most of ushave what iscommonly known as the floor- Planning onupgrading your bathrooms and ? Why not look to Geberit for itsresponsible product designs, that the toilet isonecomplete unit.Given that modern itself ismounteddirectly on top of the toilet bowl, so standing closedcoupled toilet inour bathrooms. The We explore why your bathroom deserves For more information onGeberit products, pleaserefer to their website at www.geberit.com.sg. sustainable solutions,andsleek silhouettes that will impress your mother-in-law? a life-changingtransformation with a of Installing Geberit's Concealed Cistern. for proper cleaning. CONCEALED CISTERN FROM GEBERIT INSTEAD: painless installationanditis100% recyclable. have adjustable height,effective acoustic insulation, Duofix, Geberit'slatest concealed cistern offering to collection of concealed cistern products. Thisincludes cisterns under itsbelt, Geberithasanimpressive With 50 years of experience indeveloping concealed 4» WIDE RANGE OF CONCEALED CISTERN PRODUCTS design you may desire. wide variety of actuator plates to suitany bathroom it's basedona wall-hung system. Italsocomes with a especiallyamazing, consider when you fact that the system that cansupport weights up to 400kg!Pretty Geberit's concealed cisternsare built with the Geberit 2» DURABLE AND FLEXIBLE TRENDSONTHEGO

19 20 HOMEHUB boxes withalidto themodern-day toilet withplumbingfixtures, the toilet hasdefinitely come along place to take care ofbusiness; it'salsothesanitation centre where ourhygiene needsare met.From important that November 19isdesignated asWorld Toilet Day to raise awareness for the2.5billion Back intheoldendays, thetoilet was notthestuff ofpolite conversations. Butthanks to plumbing Of allmankind'sinventions, thetoilet hasgot to beoneofthemost ingeniousones.Infact, it'sso people around theworld whohave to dowithout proper sanitation. The toilet ismore thanjust a improvement instandard ofliving,thispractice essentially becameobsolete andwas relegated to folk tales. Singapore usedto have anight soilsystem before World War 2,butfollowing itsindependence and DO YOU KNOW? advancements, thisiswhere you show offthelatest fixtures, much tothe envy of yourfriends. way since itsholey beginnings. By LilianWu agriculture all over the world to this day. to this world the over all agriculture for fertiliser nutrients-rich and low-cost of a source provides compost such fact, In it. compost properly you if avoided be however, can problem, This crops. via diseases spreading risked that apractice was it heads; smelly their reared soon fertilisers as waste human fertiliser. as used ways or various in disposed be would it where point collection to a taken then was soil night The hierarchy. the of bottom the at were who people often Tudor England), in farmers (or gong men soil night by the collected regularly then was waste human The . or container, removable toilet, apit housed that building separate asmall is which privy), or closets earth as known (otherwise with do to make had ones lucky so not The then. back wealthy to the available only were luxuries such now, but home own your in bathrooms private indoor of privilege the have You may bathrooms. or lavatories toilets, as known are that rooms small in found are Today's toilets AGRICULTURAL COMPOST WASTE: HUMAN RECYCLING But sanitation issues from using unprocessed • • • Back intheoldendays, ancientRomans had: DO YOU KNOW? diarrhoea orconstipation) A toilet god(; hewas alsothegodofflatulence andwas calledupon whenapersonhad The godofdung(Stercutius; popularwithfarmers whilefertilising theirfieldswithmanure), and A sewer goddess (;invoked whensewers gotblocked orbacked up), water spray at body temperature. Cool, right? right? Cool, temperature. body at spray water oscillating an with cleaned gently be you'll and abutton press is to have do you All too. abidet as works but WC, usual your like Geberit that know paper. toilet using or afinger lifting without cleaned being comfort sheer the enjoyed and like countries in inventions amazing these across come have you'd traveller, aworld you're If toilet. flush the with merging by heights greater achieve the saw then developments Further taps. with atoilet of appearance the on took it where toilet to it the moved soon plumbing in advancements but chamberpot, the with bedroom to the confined much pretty was bidet the 1900s, the apony. Before riding like much yourself, clean you as bowl the to straddle was idea general The 'pony'. for word French the is bidet but this, know not You might genitalia. and anus, buttocks, inner the of washing the for used is that bidet as (pronounced the bee-day)is development of share fair its seen has that fixture toilet Another TOILET THE IN HYGIENE PERSONAL WASH &CLEAN: huh? Interesting, too. plastics composite or steel stainless from created be also can they but ceramic, of made are bowls toilet Most toilet. the behind wall the in concealed cases, some in and bowl toilet the on directly mounted is however, cistern the days, These pipe. long by a connected and bowl toilet the above high located cistern the see typically will toilets fashioned Old bowl. toilet the flush to required water the to hold used is that cistern the describes toilet squat and wall-mounted pedestal, ways: 3basic in mounted be can itself bowl toilet the and tank one. small a albeit attractions, tourist London's of one become have Abbey Westminster in name company's his bearing covers manhole that Thomas Crapper & Co founded who plumber Crapper—a to Thomas to go had credit design. awash-down via bowl the empty and tank the from water to release valve aflush had to come toilets flush all of ancestor This monarchy. English the criticise to covertly written had John Sir that Ajax') of Metamorphosis the called Subject, Stale a of ('A Discourse New allegory apolitical of subject the even was it Ajax, the Named England. Kelston, in manor his in installed by Sir John invented Harrington was today with familiar we are that (WC) closet' 'water or toilet flush The TOILET FLUSH THE OF ORIGINS ROYAL FLUSH: < Imageby Geberit SouthEast AsiaPte Ltd Want one in your very own bathroom? Then you'll be happy to happy be you'll Then bathroom? own very your in one Want a from bowl the into flows typically water toilet, aflush In the masses, to the toilet the to marketing came it when But has AquaClean Sela has in London. He did it with so much success success much so with it did He London. in , which is a type of sink sink of atype is , which , a shower toilet that looks looks that toilet , ashower . The term 'water closet' closet' 'water term . The in 1596, which was was which 1596, in

21 22 No doubt it's the least glamorous part of our home, but it has the most important job of all and that is to to is that and all of job important most the has it but home, our of part glamorous least the it's doubt No DO YOU KNOW? • • • business insuch anenvironment! People from outsidecan'tseeyou dueto theone-way mirrored glass ofcourse, butimaginedoingyour London, whichchallenges peopleto usethetoilet even thoughthey canseethepassers-by outside. convenient locations. There iseven ausableglass cubeversion created by artist MonicaBonvicini in In places throughout Europe, there are open-airurinalsfor theguys andare fairly populardueto their with water from aspigot.Usethisto wash your unmentionables. If there are notoilet paperto beseen(gasp!), thenlookoutfor asmallbucket nearby that you canfill be just aholeintheground! likely to runinto thesquat toilet intherural partsoftheworld. Toilets inunderdeveloped places may even Not every country hasapedestal toilet. It'salmost thedefacto fixture inAmericantoilets, butyou're more Isn't interesting that toilets can make such a huge difference in our lives? lives? our in difference ahuge such make can toilets that interesting Isn't keep the environment properly sanitised. sanitised. properly environment the keep world? the across much so differ can cultures toilet how amazing isn't but paper, toilet the down flushing to used are who to foreigners jarring alittle be might a practice Such bin. plastic provided the in it to have discard you so systems, tank septic the for problems cause may and soluble water not is paper toilet the because toilet the down paper toilet throw can't you where Taiwan like countries also are plumbingnecessary fixtures. There the or paper toilet of costs the afford cannot simply others while hands) or bidet, the of use the (hence practice hygienic a more water using consider places Some to reasons. afew due world the of parts some in available readily snow. and leaves, like products elegant to less resorted not-so-rich the while hemp or wool, lace, as such materials luxurious more used also class wealthy The used. material only the not was paper then, Back ? ancient in century 6th way to the the all dates usage paper toilet of records official that know you do But out. to run were roll toilet the if nightmare a be literally can it fact, In lives. indispensable part of our sanitary an is paper toilet the To us, of most PAPER TOILET AROLL: ON Even today, is not not is paper Even today, toilet Geberit MonolithPuro. impressive. Simple yet Geberit MonolithPuro isavailable showrooms. inallleading Geberitauthorised sanitary Geberit South East Asia Pte LtdGeberit South EastAsiaPte Tel: +65 62504011www.geberit.com.sg bathroom. facelift andaddsatouch ofeleganceto your ideal Geberit MonolithPuro designprovides an instant Suitable for floorstanding WC ceramics, thesleek

23 24 VERSASTYLE shiny accessories that you hangonthewall. Here are 4ways why gettingasuitablemirror willwork While there are nolackofmagicmirrors inFantasy Land, we normalpeoplehave to make dowith ordinary ones.Suchmirrors won't verbally tell ushow goodwe look,butthey are more thanjust Mirror Mirror on theWall magic for your homedécor. By LilianWu 01 (Price: $109) (Price: home. to your addition will make Living a flamboyant Cranny and Nook from Mirror Framed &Acrylic Metal this like amirror Then colourful? something for Looking face. whole their to see family your of member tallest the for low too or entire your see can't you that up high so mirrors your Avoid putting height. of illusion an in upwards eyes the draw mirrors length floor while longer look walls make mirrors horizontal Likewise, room. dining e.g. used, typically are lights softer where areas for well works This spacious. more and brighter look home your to make around rays light to bounce able is mirror the that means surface areflective Having bigger. look home your makes and corner adark into light A well-placed mirror invites newspaper to polish it to its natural sparkly self. (Price: self. $2,500) sparkly natural to it its to polish newspaper crumpled use Then it. on water warm and vinegar white of a mixture spraying before dust, the of rid to get cloth asoft with mirror the wipe to way is One clear. and bright remain they so basis aweekly on mirrors the polish and Clean well-maintained. them to keep paramount it's Molecule Living Italia Mirror Cattelan Diamond the as such Mirrors chi. positive and water of element the to represent said are they Shui, Feng In appropriately. used if house the within energy positive and vibes good encourage They 02 are also symbolic of one's self and clarity of mind so so mind of clarity and self one's of symbolic also are from from

25 26 (Price: $525) (Price: mirrors. accent small numerous with details Cilento the Mirror to consider want might you Or look. aquirky for wall same the on them Group colour. same the in them paint and sizes different of mirrors afew getting however, consider You can, wall. alarge on mirrors small using avoid example, For itself. wall the match size that aproportionate of mirrors using recommend designers Some well. as statement artistic agreat be can mirrors of acollection but visually, space the to expand much do will mirror A singular statement with mirrors. artistic an make You also can 03 Treasure Trove Treasure from (Price: $675) ofimpact (Price: messiness. psychological the double and mirror by the captured be won't they so etc. clothes dirty clutter, minimise should you that means also This wall. adjacent the on colours favourite your or art wall for goes same The vibes. good of amount the increase and value aesthetic Perchingthe Birds like mirrors of help the with home your into reflected scenery abeautiful reflects, it anything of impact the to double said are mirrors Since window. asecond like home, your into scenery beautiful the reflect can it where amirror place Then for? to die aview have you Do beautiful scenery outside your home. the reflects it when especially home, the to beauty add can Mirrors 04 , which is a combination of gorgeous metal metal gorgeous of acombination is , which Treasure Trove Treasure from will enhance its its enhance will Email [email protected] or contact usdirectly at9072 1512or 9007 9210 to speak to our qualifiedsales consultants. Free Delivery! $720 For 3rolls: All the prices are inclusive of installation. Wallpaper size: 1.06mx15.6m Achieve agreater heightof sophistication with our collection of wallpapers andlightings. Visit www.theupperroom.sg by Deuteronomy 28PteLtd to check out our latestcollections. Free Delivery! $1,150 For 5rolls: Theupperroom.sg, bringing your home to ahigher level. $1,500 Free Delivery! For 7rolls: from our lightingselection when you Stand achance to receive a free gift purchase any wallpaper online. available! Limited stock

27 28 FLAVOUROFTHEMONTH expression ofhumancreativity andimagination inart?We love theclassics andthedepththat they They say that homeiswhere theheartbelongs,sowhat better way to liven itupthanwiththe can bringourhome, butsometimesquirkiness canbefuntoo! By LilianWu Life asArt sizes (frame notincluded) Size: Available inA1orA2 Price: $85 BY KUEH COMPENDIUM LEEXINLI creative. Just checkout these lovely artprints ARE andcanbevery Contrary to common Singaporean artists misconceptions, from Naiise! PHOTOGRAPHY PRINT FLOWER GOWNS— BY Price: $16each LOVE, LIMZY Size: A4 Size: 200cm(W) x80cm(H) Price: $1,880 Oil onCanvas withBlackVarnish Solid Wood Frame COOL BREEZE Do you have athingfor come to therightplace cutsy art?Then you've Size: 100cm(W)x120cm(H) Price: $1,280 Solid Wood Frame Oil onCanvas withBlackVarnish CHITCHAT in 3LittlePickswhere everything appealsto deep withinoursoul. OnePiece Painting may the littlechildliving just bemore ofyour paintings ofMother traditionalist? Then Are you more ofa concoctions from perhaps theseoil Nature's loveliest cup ofroyal tea. Size: 15cm(W) x 20cm(H) Price: $13.80each SUPERHEROES WHITE Size: 35cm(W) x50cm(H) Price: $42.80 ALICE'S DREAM Size: 130cm(W)x150cm(H) Price: $3,480 Varnish SolidWood Frame Oil onCanvas withWalnut YELLOW GOLD SEASON BLOSSOMS - Size: 30cm(W)x30cm(H) Price: $36.80each TYPEWRITERS

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31 32 are viableandmore eco-friendly options that canbe easilyboughtfrom supermarkets andthelike. come from cleaner homes;apparently they have nearlydouble theriskofdeveloping asthma. Butfear not!There developing cancer thanwomen whowork outsidethehome. The statistics are equallyscary for children who Acetate, and Ethyl Acetoacetate. Studies have alsoshown that housewives are found to have 55%more riskof Scary, isn'tit?Otheringredients that you have keep alookoutfor includebutare notlimited to: Vanillin, Benzyl HOMEIMPROVEMENT » » » PHTHALATES following chemicalsthat are commonly associated withharmfulbodilyeffects like skinirritation andcancer risks: Others release harmfulsubstances suchasVOCs andallergens into theairwhilesomeproducts contain the sake ofyour family's health!The first step? Minimisethe exposure to toxins by paying more attention damage your healthinthelongrun? You mightbesurprised,butit'stimeto make achangefor the e.g. shower curtains that are madefrom vinyl orPVC as airfresheners aswell asitems Found inhomeproducts such abnormalities, andbirthdefects problems, hormonal May leadto reproductive crack when bent would beless brittleandnot Used to soften plastics sothey Do you know that householdproducts suchasairfresheners contain harmfulsubstances that can Killing You Softly to theproducts that you buyofftheshelf. By LilianWu » » » BENZENE second-hand smoke to benzene viacigarette and People canalsobeexposed cells, whichresults in anaemia to produce insufficient redblood causes cells like thebonemarrow Damages theimmunesystem and plastics, rubbers,anddetergents make other chemical products like Used asastarting material to ammonia. can belethale.g. bleachand they produce toxic vapours that where ifyou mixthemtogether, long run? Infact there are products potentially harmyour healthinthe about buyingcleanersthat could fumes sowhy would you be blasé expose your family to poisonous toxins onyourself norwould you You wouldn't consciously use that shouldbeacausefor concern? Does itcontain toxic substances a few minutes to study itslabel. happily buyyour usualbrand, take spoiled for choice. Butbefore you cleaners outthere, we're literally free. With somany typesof odours andevery corner isdust- where theairhasnoobnoxious Most ofuswant acleanhome » » » FORMALDEHYDE and plywood), aswell asglue furniture (particlewood, fiberwood products suchaspressed-wood Used inmany household substance) carcinogen (cancer-causing Classified asaknown human living organisms insmallquantities process, it'sproduced by most As partofthenormalmetabolic » » » the fullest, buthere are othernatural optionsyou canconsider: and essential oilsare allusefulingredients that you shouldutiliseto so goodfor ourhealthinthelongrun.White vinegar, bakingsoda, whole range ofchemicalsthat make for effective cleaning butare not Like airfresheners anddeodorisers,householdcleanerscontain a HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS types ofchemicalsitcontains. it refers to specificallyorwhat listed, butyou never know what label may just have 'fragrance' chemicals. The ingredients onthe coating your nasalpassages with nerve-deadening agentsor your senseofsmellby releasing adversely. They alsoimpede affect reproductive development even make asthma worse and not goodfor your health.Itcan too muchofthescented airis air fresheners, butbreathing in Most peoplewillchooseto use smell alittleonthebadside. as cooking, your homemay Due to householdactivitiessuch DEODORISERS AIR FRESHENERSAND doctor before usingany essential oil.Oh,andbesure to usegoodquality essential oilsinthetherapeutic Essential oilsdon'tjust getridofthepests naturally, they have alovely scent that canserve asyour very basically thefruitofSapindustree that grows inNepalandIndia Soap nuts: eco-friendly alternative for your laundrysince it's Salt: effective fabric softener and stain remover remover orshampoofor carpetsandrugs Cornstarch: great asawindow cleaner, furniture polisher, grease own aromatherapy too! Butifyou have anexisting medicalcondition orare pregnant, doconsult your grade. Know ofothereco-friendly methodsto cleanyour home? We'll love to hearfrom you onour from The DIY ($23, 500g) Soap Nuts Organic Secrets

» » » » » » » instead: So play safe andfollow oneofthefollowing optionsthat are healthier CHARCOAL, whichcanbeeasilyboughtat aquariums Another economical deodoriseralternative istheACTIVATED as theonesgiven outby humanandanimalsolidwaste vomit whilewhite vinegarworks wonderfully onalkaline odourssuch USE BAKINGSODA for neutralising acidicodourssuchasurineor or bleachfurniture sousethemwithcare) household cleaneraswell (do note that citrusessence oilscanlighten eco-friendly sanitiserordeodoriser, thismixture also makes agreat WHITE VINEGAR,VODKA ORALCOHOL to create aneffective yet ADD AFEWDROPSOFYOUR FAVOURITE ESSENTIAL OILTO WATER (4CUPS)for aninstant butnatural deodoriser MIX ASPRAY BOTTLE OFWHITEVINEGAR(4TEASPOONS) AND home orange orlemon)into it,thescent willgentlydriftto allpartsofyour HEAT APOT OFWATER ANDPUTAFEWCITRUSPEELS(like cats) andBoston fern to neutralise theodours CULTIVATE INDOORPLANTS suchaspeace lily(avoid ifyou have OPEN UPTHEWINDOWS to letthefresh airin Facebook Fan Page! » » » » » different typesofpests: which essential oilto usefor Here isarough guideon a larvicidal(they killlarvae). essential oilscanalsoactas For pests suchasmosquitoes, eco-friendly essential oils? can simplyturnto themore repellent fumeswhenyou members to toxic insect Why subjectyour family INSECT REPELLENTS Tansy Peppermint, Orange, Idaho Ants: Spearmint, Lavender, Patchouli Thyme, Eucalyptus, Bed bugs:Rosemary, Peppermint Cockroaches: Cypress or Peppermint Mosquito larvae: Thyme or Eucalyptus, Pineetc. Peppermint, Thyme, Lemon, Lavender, Mosquitoes: Lemongrass,

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35 36 keep themosquito population down? a few guppiesinstead ofusingchemicalmeans to are alsoeasy to care for sowhy not consider rearing their properties. Guppiesare not onlybeautiful,they containing afew water plantsandsomeguppieson practice for peopleinThailand to keep large pots variety ofwater conditions. Infact, it's acommon larvae andisahardy fishthat cansurvive ina guppy (Poecilia reticulata), whichfeeds onmosquito their natural predators? One great example isthe What better way to getridofmosquitoes thanwith » REARGUPPIES at home. air quality. Sowhat are we to doagainst thepesky bugs? Here are someeco-friendly measures you canadopt of insecticide/chemical sprays orburningofmosquito coils isnotadvisableeither, since they compromise indoor is known to causeglobal warming, thismeasure isnot goodfor theenvironment inthelongrun.The constant use resorted to usingmosquito traps that emitcarbondioxide to lure mosquitoes to theirdeath. Since carbondioxide the mosquitoes' natural predators. because itpollutes theenvironment. Ontop ofthis,itcreates pesticide resistance inthemosquitoes aswell askill thermal fogging by apest control operator (PCO). However, there are concerns that thismay notbeeco-friendly surveillance andactive control viatheremoval ofmosquito breeding grounds. This meansroutine outdoor pronged approach to control theonslaughtofdengue. Amongthemainfocuses ofitsapproach, isthepreventive The government, for most part,hastaken atough stance against the dengueproblem—adopting amulti- WHAT HAS BEENDONESOFAR GREENCONSCIOUSNESS 14,000 cumulative casessince 1st Januarythisyear. There are fatal casesaswell, suchasthecaseof breeding grounds, soit’s importantto take thenecessary measures for theprotection ofyour family. therapy at KhooTeck Puat Hospital.Soreally, it'snolongeramatter of“ignore andit'llgoaway” or “it'll never happento mebecauseIdon'tlive We inahotspot”. have to bewary ofthedangersand an 86-year-old manwhodiedofdenguefever despite receiving bloodtransfusions andsupportive You’ve heard thenews andyou’ve seenthegovernment campaignsinthemedia.Denguecanand Dengue isnojoke. According to theNational Environment Agency (NEA),there have beenover will occur inany area where theresidents are notvigilantenoughaboutgettingridofmosquito Aside from theusualpractices to eliminate themosquitoes' breeding grounds, someresidents have also 3 Greener Ways to We lookat afew ways to getridofthepests in aneco-friendly manner. By LilianWu Combat Dengue pain that denguewillinflictonour family membersif we're notvigilant. have thefanonatsametime. it reducesairflowtoacertain extentsoit'sbestto sleeping underthenetdoestend tobewarmeras that it'ssomethingdefinitely works.However, long historyofusageacrossthe worldsoyouknow barrier againstinvasivemosquitoes. Ithashada that prevalent,mosquitonetsmadeaneffective In theoldendayswhenair-conditioningweren't » USEMOSQUITO NETS 3 6 effects on your health. We didasearch and found several alternatives you cantryout: you mightwant to consider amore natural optioninstead. DEET, especially, hashadstudies notingitsharmful Butylacetylamino-propionate. Butbefore you turnto arepellent that hasoneoftheaforementioned ingredients, repellent active ingredients registered are DEET, Hydroyethyl IsobutylPiperidineCarboxylate, andEthyl To combat mosquito bites, NEArecommends thecareful useofinsectrepellents. InSingapore, the3main » APPLY NATURAL INSECTREPELLENTS before using. pregnant. Consult your doctor have amedicalcondition orare essential oilswithcare ifyou mosquito repellent, butdouse Its essential oilisaneffective ..LAVENDER as thiswillhelp prevent the deterioration ofyour essential oilswithinthemixture. Avoid usingplastic bottles If you're makingyour very own home-mademosquito repellent, besure to useamberorcobalt glass bottles DEET. also muchsafer to usethan citronella-based ones.They're repellent lasts longerthan that thesoybean mosquito There are evidence to suggest ..SOYBEAN measures andfound them to beeffective against mosquitoes? Doshare withus on our Facebook Fan Page! as theessential oilwilleat away theplastic. Interesting, right?Have you tried any ofthese eco-friendly 4 1 7 seeds/plant from localnurseries. catnip from petstores orits than DEET. You canpurchase herb is10timesmore effective the essential oilfound inthis University have alsoshowed that research doneat theIowa State against mosquitoes. Infact, it's ahighlyeffective repellent your cat into throes ofecstasy, powerful? Notonlydoesitdrive Who knew that thisherbisso ..CATNIP apply itto your skin! bites whenyou take itorally or protection against mosquito Apparently itprovides amild ..FRESH GARLIC of smell. confuse themosquitoes' sense repellent that isbelieved to Like Citronella, it'sanatural ..EUCALYPTUS 2 5 same. lemongrass, butthey're notthe It's often confused withthe nardus orCitronella winterianus. you want aplant:Cymbopogon you. Look for thetruevarieties if normally attract mosquitoes to will maskthesmellsthat will obtain from itsleaves andstems The essential oilthat you can ..CITRONELLA essential oilwithcoconut oil. repellent whenyou mixits makes agreat mosquito Some peoplebelieve that it ..NEEM

37 38 Despite stronger salefigures andlaunch volume, prices for private residential properties have dipped. by May, itnearly doubledto 1,488units,afigure not 762 unitsinAprilcompared to the previous month.But Consultancy at Savills Research. said AlanCheong,SeniorDirector for Research & is strong andallaying fears of amarket meltdown,” market, giving aclearsignalthat underlying demand moderated marginally pointto avery price-elastic and 2,568respectively. while thefigures for Q3andQ42013 stood at 2,430 residential market was at 1,744 unitsinthelast quarter, Singapore. June 2013, according to arecent report from Savills servicing ratio (TDSR) framework was introduced in 2014, thehighest quarterly figure since the total debt Private homesalesreached 2,665unitsduringQ2 PROPERTYMARKET Market ontheRoad On amonthlybasis, salessurged by 58.8percent to “The sharpincrease intransactions after prices Notably, primarysalesvolume intheprivate Is theProperty to Recovery? 2,410 posted inQ22013. in theprevious quarter. However, itstill dwarfs the rose to 1,453 units inQ22014 compared to 1,069 units market hasrebounded. Salesofsecond-hand homes May,” accounting for more thanhalfof theunitslaunchedin Commonwealth Towers were the maincontributors, number of unitslaunchedinQ22014. Coco Palms and launched inMay, whichmadeup64percent of thetotal 3,313 recorded inthethird quarter oflast year. 2,631 unitsseeninQ42013, butit’s still shortofthe during thefirst quarter of2014. Italsosurpassed the units inQ22014, a far cryfrom the1,964unitsunveiled seen since theimpositionofTDSR. In spite ofthestronger salesandlaunchvolume, Similarly, transaction volume inthe secondary “The turnaround isattributed to the1,819 units In terms oflaunches,developers released 2,843 saidtheproperty consultancy. under theGovernment Land SalesProgramme for homes and1,520 ECsare expected to berolled out are unlikely to pick up any timesoon,” itsaid. prices of biggerresidential homesintheprimedistrict consecutive quarterly decline. percent to S$2,330 psfinQ22014, representing itsfifth landed homesintheluxurysegment softened by 1.1 percent.” decline intheOCRgathered momentum,falling by 0.9 prices weakened marginally by 0.4 percent whilethe CCR, registering adipof 1.5percent. IntheRCR, across theisland.The largest drop was seenin the versus the1.3percent fall intheprevious quarter. across Singapore dippedby onepercent inQ22014 URA’s price index for private residential properties In terms ofupcoming supply, about 2,395 private “Given that thecooling measures are here to stay, Based onSavills’ data, theaverage price ofnon- “Prices of non-landedprivate homesalsofell of recent launches initsimmediate vicinity. another highly anticipated project dueto theabsence The 500-unitHighline Residences inKim Tian Road is percent ofits150unitsafter itwas launched inJuly. demand. Infact, CityGate at BeachRoad soldover 50 climb marginally. small-format homessegmentcould stay flat or even in thecoming monthsorquarters. price-sensitive homebuyers, prices could slidefurther current form. Given theprevailing conditions andthe property curbs,especiallytheTDSR, remain intheir market in2H 2014 isexpected to remain dismalifthe completed by year-end. units remain unsold,whileabout8,066 are dueto be 83,633 unitsat theendofQ22014. Ofthis,34,643 2H 2014. The pipelinesupplyofprivate houseshit Some projects in2H2014 may even seestellar Nonetheless, prices intheprimary market and Moving forward, theoutlookfor theprivate housing Artist's impression ofCityGate at BeachRoad

39 40 We give your homeALook OfItsOwn. And mostimportantly, wetrulylisten to what you have tosay. by anunyielding dedicationtoinnovative conceptsandfreshperspectives. professional yet personableserviceisourdistinguishingstreak. We aredriven From starttofinish,conceptproduct;ourattentionthefinest detailand Bespoke ResidentialDesign W: E: [email protected] T: The Adelphi, Singapore179803 1 ColemanStreet,#05-03B,

www.insidelookz.com.sg 9875 1996 • • the likely problems andthetools to detect them: condition before you start your renovations. We list out you shouldmake sure that they are inanacceptable tiles are factored into your total buyingprice, then If you've opted for aflat where the cost ofthefloor HOLLOW &UNEVENFLOOR TILES PROBLEM 1 or before starting your renovation. DLP. Inotherwords, inspectyour flat carefully and report any defects found within7days of receiving your keys the flat owner, butany defects resulting from theflat owner's renovation worksorusage are not covered bythe (DLP), whichiseffective from thedate ofsale. This meansthat HDBwill rectify defects intheflat as reported by have to gothrough inorder to rectify thedefects afew monthsdown the road! look over your homecarefully withafew simpletools. Itmightbetiringnow, butimaginetheinconveniences you surface afew monthslater. You mightbeanxiousto getonwithyour renovation, butourrecommendation isto require immediate attention, butotherdefects like hairlinewall cracks willnotbeeasy to catch andmay only No matter how well-built aproperty is,there willinvariably besomesmalldefects. Someare pretty seriousand If you're afirst-time HDB owner, itcanbepretty exciting to openthedoor to your home for thefirst time. Butbefore you gleefullystart your renovation, doremember to watch outfor thedefects that same time, checkfor any hairline cracks onthetiles. higher thanits neighbour's, thendotake note. At the a ruleronthem; iftheedgeofonetileappears to be Ruler: make sure your floor tilesare even by placing may leadto tilespoppingup infuture that thefloortilehashollow spots,a condition which by tappingonthem;ahollow soundusually indicates Coins ormarbles:usedto detect hollow floortiles HDB alsostipulated ontheirwebsite that allnew HDBflats are provided witha1-year defects liabilityperiod 5 Common Defects You Should Know in New HDBFlats will inevitably bepresent intheflat. By LilianWu provided TVcable must beableto fit. your keys! The samegoesfor TVpointsi.e. the utilities sodon'tforget to dosoafter you've collected warranted. This isonlypossible after you activate the the sockets are rusty, otherwise a report to HDBis simple plug-inLEDlightandmake sure that noneof Check that allelectrical sockets are working witha ELECTRICAL SOCKETS PROBLEM 2 HOMEESSENTIALS

41 42 your windows onrainy days to ensure they donotleak. bathrooms). Try theseoutto make sure themechanismsare working asthey should.Last butnotleast, check received from HDBshouldalsobeasetofkeys to your various bedroom doors(except thebombshelter and difficulty, have norusty partsand are properly alignedwithintheir respective frames. Amongthe keys that you Next onthelist are thewindows andthedoorsinyour home. Make sure they canopenandclose withoutany WINDOWS &DOORS PROBLEM 5 especially when there are more than10defects intheflat. Another vitalthing to remember isthis: DONOT with maskingtapeandmarkers. Having your own record isfar more efficientthan relyingon yourmemory, give your housekeys to theBSCpersonnelandbuy abicycle lock/padlock to lockyour front gate instead. Once you've found thedefects, doremember to documentthemwithadigitalcamera andhighlight them wet weather. watch outfor leakingwalls during ceilings are notslanted. Oh,and handy to ensure that your walls and pens. Inaddition,have aSpiritLevel with maskingtapeandmarker make sure to indicate themclearly cracks before your renovation, then (BSC). Butifyou spotthehairline her estate's BuildingService Centre corrected by arepresentative from this very problem anditwas swiftly bloggers, PandaGirl, encountered after your renovation. Oneofour and paintover thecracks even is you canapproach HDBto fill absolute eyesore. The goodnews cracks inthewall canbean not surface inyour initialchecks, An insidiousproblem that may CRACKED ORSLANTEDWALLS PROBLEM 3 to flushas well. come withcracks andmust beable functioning. Toilet bowls shouldn't you seeifyour tapsandbasinsare and runthewater. This willalsolet or leaking,activate your utilities sure your pipesare notclogged toilets ordown thedrains. To make may becarelessly thrown into the Sometimes rubbishorcement CLOGGED TOILETS & LEAKS PROBLEM 4 Call +6564558861 . 301 Upper Thomson Road#02-15, Thomson Plaza, Singapore 574408 VOILA DESIGNPTE LTD sentiment of which canonlybe captured by theFrench expression of whimsicality: Voilà! match. Our finalproduct andafter-sales service will alsoleave you pleasantly surprised,the and peoplefrom conception toexecution—ensuring timelydelivery with thebest qualityto full essenceof who you really are. Here at Voilà, we are abletoseamlesslyintegrate allprocesses Transform your home,office or shopspaceinto amagicalkingdomof wonder that captures the Opening Hours Monday – Thursday 11:00am–9:00pm . Fax +6564512028. [email protected] . Friday –Saturday 11:00am–9:30pm. Website www.voila.com.sg Sunday 10:30am–7:30pm

43 44 AESTHETICVALUE transform itby employing theuseofasignature piece, preferably onesasunforgettable asthese. Does your homelackacertain x-factor? Save itfrom theclutches ofahumdrumexistence and Thy Name Quirky is Quirky is By LilianWu It's also available in gold dipped brass. brass. dipped gold in available also It's boost. fantastical but imaginary that you lend just may room living your in pillows such of acollection but Throne, Iron own very your to create resources steely the lack You might mail. chain steel Inox an in out decked acushion get you ASPEN—Visionnaire Cushion Square the With flair. indispensable an with interiors home accentuating been long have furnishings Soft brass) dipped (gold $10,510 or steel) (stainless $4,598 Price: Visionnaire by ASPEN CUSHION SQUARE from Marquis from | , however, however, , Hedgehog Hedgehog to the turn home, your of parts other or reminds one of the chaotic yet unified beauty that that beauty yet unified chaotic the of one reminds For an explosion of wild style in your living room room living your in style wild of explosion an For is made from an artful arrangement of hawthorn hawthorn of arrangement artful an from made is Geoffrey Mance Geoffrey by hedge and copper, this is an iconic piece that that piece iconic an is this copper, and hedge HEDGEHOG BY GEOFFREY MANCE BY GEOFFREY HEDGEHOG from from A gorgeous chandelier that that chandelier . Agorgeous Strangelets nature is well-known for. well-known is nature | Price: $3,400 |Price: From From LAMP FLOOR CESENDELLO SILK vital injection of ethnic beauty to any inner sanctum. inner to any beauty ethnic of injection vital a add will lamp floor silk this by hand, crafted Meticulously century. 15th the in back Venice in emerged that themes Oriental-Renaissance the of fusion style the symbolises Lamp Floor Cesendello Silk the turban, Muslim the of reminiscence in spirals that structure elegant An Vanilla Home | Price: upon request upon |Price:

45 46 workday away. away. workday the of toils the washing of sensation the relish truly to opportunity rare the you giving bathroom, the in down slows time that so and warm ambient lighting crest shower wide-rimmed Axor LampShower the sensual experience. This of sense aheightened you give will water and light of fusion creative this Nendo, studio design Japanese by to the you Brought request upon Price: SE Hansgrohe From BY NENDO LAMPSHOWER AXOR has a has | reproduction of industrial crafted from solid walnut walnut solid from crafted body shop in Rotterdam, Rotterdam, in shop body and iron, but comes with with comes but iron, and this unique piece takes takes piece unique this SHELVING (LARGE) (LARGE) SHELVING Modern Eclectic Eclectic Modern From on the original's 1950s 1950s original's the on and movable ladder in an antique finish so as as so finish antique an rivets, X-back bracing bracing X-back rivets, to display its exposed exposed its to display Living discovered in an auto auto an in discovered DUTCH SHIPYARD SHIPYARD DUTCH design with flair. It's It's flair. with design their fullest beauty. shelving that was was that shelving BY VAN THIEL An authentic authentic An | Price: $5,800 |Price:

47 48 “sitter” and “chair”, and created and“chair”, “sitter” anoriginalyet functionalchair. products suchasthelimited-edition furniture piece 40Winks—where Benjamin blurred theboundariesbetween yet, buttheLondon-born designer/artist already hasanimpressive portfolio ofartwork, installations, and reusing acandlecanbesosimpleyet noonehasactually thoughtofittillnow? It'snot available for distribution located) to form anew stick of candleand you getto usethecandlestick again!Isn'titamazinghow theidea of candle burns,themelted wax willthenaccumulate inthetransparent stem (where alengthof wickiscentrally Rekindle Candlefor example; it'sacandlestick holderthat collects themeltingwax to form anew candle. Asthe existing ideaandgivingitauniquetwirlsothat itcomes backwith arenewed purpose andappearance. Take the For most people, beingcreative isto come upwithnew ideas.InBenjaminShine 's case, however, it'staking an SHOW&TELL centuries. Althoughithasbeenrelegated to anarchaic fall-back tool intimesofblackout today, the candlestick now hasanew leaseoflife thanksto BenjaminShine—anaward-winning designer/artist who isknown for ingeniousworks like theiconic depictionofPresident Barack Obamawoven from You mightnotthinkmuchofthetraditional candlestick, butithasfaithfully illuminated homesfor an Americanflagandartfuldepictionsof famous personalitieswithtulle. By LilianWu A ShiningBeacon of Inspiration 40 Winks Rekindle Candle what keeps hiscreativity burningbright. keen to getasetfor your home. Inthemeantime, we reach outto theLondon-born visionaryandfind outjust It's available inalimited editionseriesof3inavariety ofcolours [email protected] ifyou're with button-back red leather upholstery andlight-upTelephone signs,paying homageto awell-loved Britishicon. the BT Artbox ExhibitioninLondon . The Britishphoneboothisbeautifullytransformed into acomfy lounger Another furniture piece that we particularlylove from BenjaministheBox Lounger that was speciallycreated for despite hisgreat stardom. becoming somesortoftragedy survived rather thanimplodingor taker, he'sanartist who hasalso from it.Notonlyageniusandrisk so thanStevie, whodraws somuch relate to, butperhapsnonemore that creative peoplecanespecially called Innervisions—adescription Stevie Wonder! Hemadeanalbum WHY ISTHAT SO? GREATEST INSPIRATION INLIFE? » WHOHAS BEENYOUR The unexpected. QUALITY PIECE OFDESIGN? » WHAT DOYOU THINKMAKESA something by doingit. worthwhile into theworld andlearn essentially to putsomething questioning, humour, service... An opportunityfor expression, YOU? » WHAT DOESDESIGNMEANTO If you love Benjamin'swork asmuchwe do, thendoheadonto hiswebsite at www.BenjaminShine.com to check outhiswide repertoire ofdesigns! taught mealot. product designandlicensing, which one ofmy earliest ventures into 2006 remains afavourite asitwas Cordz whichIinvented back in journey! My children's product me asit'sbeentheresult ofalong My tullework meansthemost to IS YOUR FAVOURITE ANDWHY? » OFALLYOUR DESIGNS,WHICH website. availability willbeupdated onmy be available soon.Detailsofits a distributor andhopefullywill is currently beingdeveloped by is notyet available to buy, but some modelsto test it.Rekindle candle. From there Istarted making could becaptured to make anew of wax andwondered ifthewax which meltto leave hugemounds mind thevisualofthosecandles candle holderideas.Ihadinmy started to play around withsome be interesting to develop andI worthwhile alternatives that could just tryingto figure outsome cost/high innovation products, I was designinganumberoflow- BUY IT? CANDLE ANDWHERECANWE THE IDEAFOR THERENEWABLE » HOW DIDYOU COME UPWITH

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51 52 LUSH.WISHLIST Cola 10Table LampTurquoise Eco artist anddesigner, whotakes the3Rsupanothernotch andgives usgorgeous lightfixtures that realistically useat homeissomethingelseentirely. We speakwithSarah Turner, anaward-winning decorations isnotanew concept, butbeingableto create stunning lightingfixtures that you can the environment from deteriorating further. Turning waste materials suchasplastic bottlesinto Most ofusunderstand theneed for recycling, reusing, andreducing waste inthebidto save from Nature Daisy 12PinkPurple will transform your homeforever. By LilianWu Art Born a wholenew different way. them to recreate waste materials in enables herto take advantage of waste materials shecollects—which properties andfeatures in the Design. Sarah analyses thenatural degree inFurniture andProduct University (UK)in2008witha graduated from NottinghamTrent waste plastic bottlesafter she designing andcreatively reusing all, shehasbeeninthebusiness of we canuse in ourdailylives. After reincarnate asusefulobjectsthat art ofhelpingwaste materials Sarah Turner isnostranger to the Ella shame you don'treally getto seethem.Ellareally shows off this part of the waste material.” hand andcreates thefinal round shape. “The endsof plastic bottles are agorgeous form,” Sarah explained, “it'sa bottles, whichare thensandblasted to turnthemalovely white. Sarah thengoeson to piece themtogether by crafted from theendsofdifferent-sized plastic drink of awhimsicalumbrella! This particularlampishand- especially strikes a chord withusbecauseitreminds us lamps look,despite theirhumble beginnings. The Ella rubbish, itdoesn’tmeanneeds to looklike itdoes!" home. After all,“...just becauseaproduct ismadefrom at RenoNation would LOVE to grace ourceilings at of simplygorgeous high-endlightfixtures that we pretty nifty cuttingskills.The result? Acollection catching colours before shesculptsthemwithsome give thebottlesanopaquelook)anddyeing ineye- through alongprocess ofcleaning,sandblasting (to local cafes andhouseholds.Sarah thenputsthem We're definitely inlove withhow luxuriousthe The plastic bottles themselves are collected from

53 54 Love theideaofgreen decorations intheform oflightingfixtures that don'tlooklike they were hastily put together at home? Then you shouldcheckoutSarah Turner's website at www.sarahturner.co.uk andplace your order! Prices start from £49. Sarah. wouldn't want to buythem,” said easily make at home, thenpeople looked like somethingyou could If they were recycled-looking or waste material they originate from. are totally transformed from the take pridein thefact my products and nothome-madeorrecycled. “I something that looks professional be relegated to thetrash bininto managed to changewhat usedto mine.” bottles willalways beafavourite of material really butIthinkplastic using cans.Ilike to useany waste waste plastic andIhave alsotried I have experimented withother trying to think ofideasto doso! creatively reuse andsetabout this would bethematerial Iwould bottles away there, soIdecided shop andcustomers threw many “at thetimeIworked inacoffee design degree,” Sarah recalled, was at university studying for my bottle lightsfirst started whenI which are thrown away. Myplastic there are simply somany ofthem particular? materials, why plastic bottlesin form. Butoutofsomany waste create amessy yet funspherical randomly tangledtogether to Flower Lights.The sheetsare other lampssuchasCola 10and polypropylene sheetsfrom making because it'smadefrom thewaste Leftover Lightisaprimeexample it's notfor thesamelamp. The the entire plastic bottle, even if not! Sarah believes infullyutilising the plastic bottlegoto waste, fear It's certainly laudablehow Sarah “I choseplastic bottlesas In caseyou thinkthat therest of consultation services according to your to needs: according services consultation We offer acomprehensive range of advisory and knowledge.advisory BaZi-related and Shui Feng to comes it when developers property and celebrities entrepreneurs, captains, corporate for choice of is firm the Group Yap Joey Consulting The Divination. Jing Yi and Reading Face Selection, Datelike services ancillary by complimented are which Jia Dun Men Qi and BaZi Shui, Feng are areas practice consultation core Group’s The corporations. and individuals for services consultation and coaching of metaphysics-driven provision the in apioneer is Dato’ Yap, Joey trainer and author Yap Joey consultant, the Group Consulting firm. Foundedconsultation in 2002 byrenown international FengShui and BaZi metaphysics specialised world’s first Yap Joey the is The Group Consulting Consulting Corporate and Coaching Personal -Centric PioneeringMetaphysics • Tailor-Made Packages • Your Consultant Feng Shui Personal For Property Investors Consultant Feng Shui • Panel Services Advisory • Post-Consultation Consultation • End-to-End For Property Developers Tel 1213 :03-2284 Lumpur, Kuala Malaysia. 59200, Putra, Syed Valley City, Mid Lingkaran Boulevard, The 19-3, JOEY YAP CONSULTINGJOEY YAP GROUP | Fax : 03-2284 2213 | Web : www.joeyyap.com | Email : [email protected] :[email protected] |Email 2213 |Web : www.joeyyap.com :03-2284 |Fax OF VALUE ENHANCE

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55 56 bad guys intheFeng Shuiworld. Sha Qiisandhow itworks andyou willbeableto dealwithitaccordingly. So, let'slookat afew common "ShaQi" • • • • practical. Askyourself thesequestions: around them.Italldependsonthecircumstances andsituation. When itcomes to dealingwithShaQi,always be environment that ismost definitively ShaQidonotnecessarily exert anegative influence onthe properties that isthequestion ofbiasandprejudice. InFeng Shui,nothingispermanentlygoodorbad. about andwhy you shouldbeconcerned aboutthesetypesofShaQi. for all,IamgoingdebunktheShaQimyths by explaining thefew typesofShaQithat you shouldbeconcerned cactus isforbidden andobjectswithpointyendsare relegated to thedrawer. being fearful aboutsharpobjectsofany kindwithintheirhomeandoutsideofhome. Shelves are banned, These days, peoplehave become fearful oftheShaQibogey man.Infact, somepeopleeven goto theextent of GEOMANCY How doesitaffect meorany ofthe residents in my home? Is itfar ornear? Doesitaffect meorany ofthe residents in my home? Is itofasize andproportion to affect my property? Is theobjectinquestion really ShaQi? 1 Sun Tzu once said,“know your enemy andknow yourself andyou willalways bevictorious”. Understand what Similarly, something that isnegative inoneinstance may notbenegative inanother. Even features inthe At thesametime, Iwant you to alsoremember onevery importantpointer whenitcomes to Feng Shuiand This issimplynotapractical way to live your life andcertainly, notwhat Feng Shuiisallabout.So, once and Debunking the Sha QiMyths when qualified, turnsoutto benotsoscaryafter all. is notat aproximity that iscloseenough to affect you. Sosomething that seems scary, the street anditisafairly widestreet, you don'treally have aproblem either. does notaffect your property. Ifthesharproof islocated on aneighbouringhouseacross sharp roof isonthesecond floor, and your doorisontheground floor, thenthesharproof Sharpness isnotalways bad,especiallyifit'snot pointingat you inthe first place! In alltheseinstances, theproblem appearsto bepresent butuponcloserexamination, main door, thenyou are quite safe. Ifthe real concern? neighbour's sharproof corner beacasefor a cowboy town. that's practically impossible unless you live in if you are theonlyhouseonstreet and you canentirely remove thispossibility is for. look something you want to corner pointingat your houseiscertainly Hence, aneighbour'ssharproof property. in Qibeingfocused andangledat your The corners ofroofs cansometimesresult THE SHARP-ROOFEDNEIGHBOUR If thesharproof isnotvisible from the So inwhat instances shouldyour However, let'sbepractical. The onlyway 2 positive Qifor theproperty andtheoccupants. right direction according to certain formulas andcalculations, itmay even beushering in is apositive andnotnegative feature. another sector ofyour property. Infact, there could besomeinstances whenaT-junction the maindoorislocated orcrashes rightinto themaindoor—more sothan ifitishitting traffic dueto therelatively low numberofcarsusingthejunction. bigger problem thanaquietT-junction inaresidential area where there islow andminimal instances only. For example, ifitis abusy junctionwithlotsoftraffic, itisdefinitely a aggressive, fast-moving andcausesitto crash into theproperty inavolatile manner. considered anunfavourable Feng Shuifeature becauseitfocuses theQi,makingit is dueto theway Qishouldandnot move orflow inFeng Shui.T-junctions are Sheng QiandminimisingShaisat thecore androot ofFeng Shui? or positive Qi,itbecomes ShaQiornegative Qi.Remember how thegoalofharnessing Qi, makingitaggressive andvolatile. Aggressive andvolatile QiisnolongerSheng curves, whichmake Qimove gentlyalong,are preferred over astraight line—which fixes is bad.This isagain,amisunderstanding ofFeng Shuifundamentals. "sharp". Many peopleusuallyavoid livingnearaT-junction becausethey have heard that it The T-junction isoften regarded asanunfavourable Feng Shuifeature becauseitis EVERYBODY KNOWS T-JUNCTION If theT-junction islocated inaprosperous Qidirection andtheQiisflowing inthe Similarly, aT-junction isagreater causefor concern if it isfocused at thesector where But by itself, theT-junction isnotbadperse. AT-junction isnegative in certain The reason aT-junction isconsidered anunfavourable feature to have nearahouse In Feng Shui,we like Qito meander. Itshouldbepeaceful andbenevolent. Gentle

57 58 3 it's importantto always checkto seeifthemain doorisaffected. Shui consultant willalways examine. Sowhenit comes to ShaQi, Piercing HeartSha. outside theboundaries,then you don'thave aproblem withthe 1 to 2meters ofyour maindoor, thenyou have aproblem. Ifitis then needto seehow closethislamppost isto your maindoor. boundaries ofthesetwo lines,thenyou mighthave aproblem. You as inthediagram. Ifthelamppost orthepolefalls withinthe your maindoor, extend two imaginarylinesouttowards theroad, (or poleofany kind)isrightinfront ofyour door. otherwise. ItisonlyacaseofPiercing HeartShaifthelamppost post outsideyour housebecauseyou thinkyou willhave badluck not getneedlessly upsetanddecideyou needto remove thelamp problem inFeng Shui;we callitthePiercing HeartSha.Now, do A lamppost directly infront ofthemaindoorisdefinitely a DON'T BEALAMPPOST The maindoor is oneofthethree important factors that aFeng If itisacross thestreet, it'snotthat bad.Butifitis,say, within How doyou determine ifitisrightoutsideyour door?From Within theboundaries oftheMainDoor, Considered Piercing HeartSha Main DoorFacing Heart Sha line, notPiercing Outside theboundary 4 at (603) 22841213 [email protected] for apersonalproperty consultation. Make changesand Chinese Metaphysics. of Joey Yap Consulting Group andfounder oftheMastery Academy of and master trainer inChineseMetaphysics. HeisalsotheChiefConsultant in Asia.Heisaninternational speaker, bestselling authorofover 140books Dato’ Joey Yap istheleadingFeng Shui,BaZiandFace Reading consultant ABOUT DATO’ JOEY YAP invite harmony andawell-balanced outlook to your property today. benefits to your life. you cease to beafraid, thenFeng Shuicantrulybeharnessed andusedto bringpositive factors behindShaQiinmy article. Remember, Feng Shuiisnotaboutparanoia. When affect any oftheresidents, it'snotabigdeal. because you have hadtheflushot.SimilarlyifatypeofShaQiispresent butitdoesn't just like how there isaflubuggoingaround butyou probably don'tneedto bescared we must alsoconsider theresidents oftheproperty orthepeopleusinghouse. It's dangerous ornegative. Fire elementsoifitislocated in asector that issuitablefor aFire element,thepylon isnot no eldest son),thentheproblem isnotmajor. Last butnotleast, pylons are regarded asa sector. Ifsomeone wholives inthehouse isaffected, thenyou have aproblem. you that someoneinthat houseislikely to beaffected by thenegative feature inthat how thesneeringlyscaryShaQicanturnoutto benotsoscaryafter all? I hopethat Ihave helpedto slay afew ShaQidemonsanddebunked someofthefear In Feng Shui,besidestheforms intheenvironment andthedynamicnature ofQi, If theShaQiaffects anon-existent resident (like afamily withonlyfemale children but A ShaQifeature like apylon isonlyacausefor concern iftheGuaofsector tells GET INTOUCH WITHTHEJOEYYAP CONSULTING GROUP pylon isnotamajorcasefor concern. See family consists entirely of girls,thenthis eldest son,amongotherthings.Ifyour affecting ZhenGua. Sector, for example, thenthepylon is sector itislocated in.IfitisintheEast pylon isaproblem. Next, lookat which (around 500m)ofyour house—thena property—within immediate proximity a problem to have apylon nearyour house? a pylon isalways bad.Sowhendoesitpose but we cannottake itasablanket rulethat favourable feature to have nearyour home bad Feng Shui.Generally, pylons are nota the solecriteria to determining goodor constitute badFeng Shui. that pylons are asharpobjectandthus near apylon. Now, thecommon fallacy is into Feng Shui,willrefuse to buyahouse Many people, even thosewhoare not PESKY PYLONS The ZhenGuatrigram relates to the First, ifthepylon isvery nearyour Like Ihave saidearlier, sharpness isnot

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63 64 residential projects. price tag.We alsospecialiseinlarge-scale residential developments, high-end private homesaswell asothercommercial and their needs and coming up with innovative designs that are infused with cutting-edge technology, but do not come with a hefty a lifestyle edge. Backed by ateam ofaward-winning designers,we helpclientsrealise andtransform any space by understanding ARCHéTYPE PteLtd isnotjust your run-of-the-millinterior designfirm,it'sa studio that pridesitselfoncreating spaces with A: 27A Kampong BahruRoad, Singapore 169351 +656222 0738 | T: |F:+656222 0737 |E:[email protected] |W: www.arche.sg